


Mind Games

by littleblue_eyedbird



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Dreams, Dreamsharing, F/M, Fluff, Prompt Fic, Solavellan, The Fade, a formal occasion, a little bit of angst?, elven ruins, playful banter, sharing personal space, solas x lavellan - Freeform, solasmance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-17
Updated: 2015-06-17
Packaged: 2018-04-04 19:36:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4150236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littleblue_eyedbird/pseuds/littleblue_eyedbird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sulenera Lavellan invites Solas to explore an ancient ruin with her, and he makes her an offer she can't refuse</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mind Games

“I can’t help but wonder who might have lived here. This place is ancient. They must have been a noble, or possibly a figurehead of some importance. They really had a passion for sculpture. Maybe an artist. ”

Sulenera’s lyrical voice echoed in the partly desecrated entry hall of the abandoned estate. She deftly hopped over a large stone pillar that had collapsed in the middle of the room, taking in the ruins around her. She had located the mansion a few weeks ago on their last outing in the Emerald Graves. She had been itching to get back to explore its depths ever since. The floor was littered with fragments of broken statues, ripped paintings, and crumbled pillars. Giant stained glass windows lined the walls at evenly spaced intervals, letting in the late afternoon sun. The fraying drapes hung haphazardly, muted and faded in color. Some of the panes in the windows were cracked and broken, cascading a multitude of colors across the fallen sculptures and pillars. A caved in grand staircase loomed to their right.

She cast a glance behind her to find Solas studying the fresco bordering high walls of the hall. When she saw him studying it so intently she couldn’t help but smile to herself. She felt some of the nerves that had been building up in her chest ease up. She always got nervous showing people her private spaces she used when she needed to escape for a time. She knew he was going to be captivated by this place the moment he set eyes on it. She had been.  The emerald graves was her favorite place to frequent when she had free time and knew that they were soaked in Elven history, if you knew the right places to look. Normally she would have slipped away from Skyhold on her own to explore, but this time something came over her, and she decided to invite him. She couldn’t seem to leave Solas alone lately.

“The artistry and detail work in these frescos…. it is quite a sight to behold, even if only viewed upon in fragments.” He asserted, eyes scanning the pieces that had been left intact.

“Can you make out what it’s depicting?” She called over to him as she went to study a line of statues against the back wall.

“It appears to be honoring a battle, a warrior for a heroic conquest of some kind.  A victory over an infamous beast, perhaps. There is too much obscured by time and erosion to get for me to make a clear interpretation.”

“Pity.”  Sulenera let her fingers trace across the facial features of statue that had remained mostly unscathed. The swell of the elven woman’s lips and angled jawline were hauntingly beautiful.  Sulenera’s finger tips traced upwards, lingering over a gash on the woman’s forehead.  _Such a shame so much art was destroyed_. Sulenera thought to herself, as she reached to touch the woman’s left ear where a small chunk had been broken off.

“I wish I could have seen this place when it wasn’t reduced to rubble. I bet this hall would have taken my breath away.” She voiced in a lilting tone, to no one in particular.

“Would you care to find out?”

She inhaled sharply, his breath suddenly swept across the hollow of her ear and neck. Somehow he had crossed the room without her noticing, and was now standing behind her.  She took a less than a second to collect herself before twisting her body to peer up at him.

“What exactly are you offering me, Solas? She coyly inquired, entering into the mind games and flirtatious banter they so often fell into.

“Exactly what you wished for.”

“You’re going to have to be more specific than that, there are many things I’ve been wishing for.” With this, she turned to face him.

He considered her for a moment, bright eyes surveying her features before answering.

“A chance to impress you.”

“Not a chance to test my, ah, ‘indomitable focus’?”  Sulenera baited him, where was this boldness coming from?  A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes.

“My interest in seeing your unyielding focus dominated has not diminished Lavellan, but there will be a time and place for that. Now is not such a time, for I have other things in mind.”

Sulenera felt the tips of her ears heat up at his forwardness.  She was going to lose their game if she didn’t think of something clever to counter with.

“You are all words and no action, Solas. If you don’t make good on these threats I will have no choice but to strike first.”

Sulenera thought she might have gotten the upper hand as she watched his demeanor soften ever so slightly.

Suddenly he cupped her face with his left hand, trailing his thumb over her lips. In a low voice he sighed, “But you already have.”

She froze.  He was referring to her bold initiation of their kiss in the fade several weeks prior. She knew that he took this more serious turn on purpose to undermine her composure—and it worked. She hesitated and looked away unsure of what to say. They had left things unresolved, neither of them wanting to commit to anything, or rush into something. Solas was just as guarded as Sulenera, hence the mind games they started playing. Delving into uncharted territory to see who will crack first under pressure. She was becoming increasingly aware of just how willing she was to take that risk, to continue that conversation, although she didn’t know how.

Sulenera felt her ears fully betray her now, flushing a lovely shade of embrium as a smirk spread across his face. She was too distracted by the warmth of his touch, and the feeling that had started blossoming in her chest to return his banter. Solas knew he had won.

He pulled away from her face and offered his slender hand to Sulenera, still wearing that gloating expression.

“Care to let me steal your breath away?”

She glared at him and his smugness, but slipped her hand into his anyway. 

“Do your worst, fadewalker.”

 He began walking backwards pulling her to the center of ruin. They sunk to floor, kneeling directly across from each other. Sulenera watched as Solas cast a protective barrier around them. Anyone who might have wandered in would have seen two elves meditating behind a shimmering force field.  _What and odd sight this must be_ , She thought to herself as she felt Solas’ mana wash over her, pulling her away from consciousness.  The strange sensation passed, and whole new one over took her senses.

“Open your eyes, and do remember to breathe, Lethallan.”

They were in the fade. More specifically, they were within a fleeting memory of the mansion, it had come  _alive_. Sulenera shot up from her knees, mouth gaping as she took in the scene. Composure be damned, he was right–as he always was. She was impressed. He had stolen her breath away.

The hall was even more glorious than she had imagined. The fresco was fully restored, the colors immaculate and brilliant. Solas’ hunch was spot on; it was depicting a champion’s victory over a blighted creature. The story spanned several panels ending with the warrior standing atop the beast with their sword held high.

The draperies that had once been worn with neglect now retained their deep crimson hues and were rippling in the evening breeze that got carried through the opened windows. All of the statues were righted, whole, and glistening with some kind of ethereal magic. Reflective rays danced around the gemstone inlaid floor from motes of light stationed at intervals along the walls, while music lofted from somewhere on the second floor, sweet and sultry. The grand staircase off to the right returned to its original regality. It was littered with Elves adorned in the most magnificent robes; Sulenera assumed they could only be nobility based on how formal their attire was. They all were drinking a mystical substance that shimmered like it had been infused with diamond dust. The hall was bustling with activity, with people flitting about from piece to piece around the room.

“Oh creators, Solas!” She said breathlessly, “It’s an ancient Gala.”

Her eyes were brimming with wonder, curiosity igniting in her veins, as she observed the event unfolding. How desperately she wanted to explore this beautiful dream he had gifted her, she could hardly contain herself.   She eagerly rushed forward but stopped abruptly when she felt the familiar brush of silk against her legs. She looked down—her traveling clothes had been replaced by ancient Elven robes. The rich emerald color beautifully complimented her eyes and deeply tanned skin. The robes dipped dangerously low, exposing the branching lines of her vallaslin that covered entirety of her back. Intricately twined gold clasps shaped like vines cinched the silken fabric at her shoulders, leaving her arms bare, showing off more of her blood writing. A matching belt of twisting vines wrapped snuggly just above her hips, emphasizing her waistline. Her honey colored hair had been pulled back and loosely braided in a traditional elven style.

She spun to face Solas, robes billowing around her as she moved. His clothes had changed too. Gone were his woolen sweater and frayed breeches, in their place were the most elegant clothes she had seen, on anyone, since joining the Inquisition.  He was donning formal black leggings that hugged him in all the right places and a flowing black tunic; sporting sheer sleeves that allowed her see faintly the shape of his toned arms. The tunic was embroidered with a complex system of vines made of emerald thread to match her dress. He appeared to be gliding as he approached her.

“How did you…I can’t believe… this…” Her voice faltered as she gestured to her figure, looking down once again at her outfit.

He slipped his fingers under her chin, bringing her head up to meet his gaze.

“Did you think we could attend a gala in anything less?”  He pushed a wisp of her away from her temple, again letting his fingers linger across her face.

A musical laugh escaped her lips, “No, I suppose not. If only Dorian and Vivienne could see us now. I dare say he might fight you for that shirt.”

Solas hummed with amusement, “I doubt that Dorian would venture within twenty feet of anything that I had once worn.”

“You don’t know that, he hasn’t seen this yet.”

She reached out to emphasize her point by touching his chest, but he caught her hand before she made contact. She locked eyes with him, as he lifted her fingers tips to his lips, and murmured something barely audible in elven. She couldn’t entirely discern what he had said but it definitely was alluring. Once again, he managed to steal her breath away.  A new type of curiosity seared in her veins causing a warming sensation to pool deep within her.

“I didn’t quite catch that Solas, although I like how it sounds. Say it again?”

He laughed as his lips parted into wolfish smile, “You are going to dwell on those few words all night and get no reprieve from me. My lips are sealed.”

He was taunting Sulenera, fully aware that he was fueling the sensation that was building inside her. He laced his fingers through hers as she pulled him in the direction of the stairs, towards the music.

“Fine then. We’ll see just how long that lasts.”

“Challenge accepted.”

**Author's Note:**

> What Solas whispered against Sulenera's fingers was "you never cease to thrill me" (Still working on a translation :)


End file.
